BACOLOD City — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here approved on first reading last week a proposed ordinance seeking to establish clear rules and regulations for the use and management of the Bacolod City Public Skate Park in Barangay Vista Alegre.
Authored by Councilor Jason Villarosa, the measure titled “Bacolod Public Skate Park Ordinance” aims to promote the safety and well-being of youth and other park users while ensuring the proper management of the facility.
The proposed ordinance is anchored on provisions of the 1987 Constitution and the Child and Youth Welfare Code, which recognize the vital role of the youth and mandate the establishment of recreation centers in collaboration with local government units.
Once enacted, a Bacolod Public Skate Park Committee will be created to implement and monitor the park’s rules and regulations.
The committee will be chaired by the city mayor, with the chairperson of the SP Committee on Tourism as vice chair. Members will include officials from the City Tourism Office, City Health Office, Public Information Office, and Public Order and Safety Office, as well as three private sector representatives to be appointed by the mayor.
The committee will be tasked to formulate and update park rules, ensure information dissemination, provide security and enforcement during operating hours, assess health and safety risks, and coordinate programs and activities to promote the skate park.
The ordinance outlines several key regulations, including the mandatory use of safety equipment such as helmets and pads, and a prohibition on wearing dangerous accessories such as jewelry while inside the skate park.
Individuals below 18 years old will only be allowed to use the facility if accompanied by a guardian. A curfew will also be enforced, with park use prohibited after 10 p.m.
To ensure compliance, the measure imposes graduated penalties for violators: first-time offenders will be banned from the skate park for 24 hours, second-time offenders for one week, and third-time offenders for one month./PN
